Three Rivers is focus of locally produced movie

Saturday

Sep 14, 2013 at 12:01 AM

A marketing campaign began this week to drum up interest in a locally produced and financed film.

By Jef RietsmaJournal Correspondent

A marketing campaign began this week to drum up interest in a locally produced and financed film.Radio spots promoting “The Current — Three Rivers,” were introduced to the public beginning Monday. In addition, a billboard showcasing next month’s premier of the feature-length movie is due to go up any day along northbound U.S. 131, north of Broadway Road.Financed by Three Rivers businessman Tom Meyer and directed by longtime, local theater actor and writer Jerry Wright, “The Current — Three Rivers,” showcases many aspects of the city, its people and businesses.Wright, 78, said the 2-hour, 24-minute film will premiere with two showings Oct. 18 and a matinee the following day at Three Rivers 6.The final segments are being filmed this week.“We started filming right before the county fair last year, so it’s been ongoing for a full 12 months,” Wright said. “The filming and editing process has been exhaustive, but everybody involved with it is really excited, especially now that the premier is a little more than a month away.”“The Current — Three Rivers,” began as an idea pitched by Meyer, of downtown-based Meyer Ventures. Wright said Meyer tossed around the idea of a short video about Three Rivers, promoting its businesses, natural assets and other noteworthy attractions. Wright said the more he and Meyer discussed the concept, the more ideas they came up with that broadened the scope of the plan.Wright said Meyer has invested a six-figure sum into the project, which gained momentum after Kalamazoo-based Kzoom Video Solutions and its owner, Dan Martin, got involved.Offering full disclosure, Wright said a number of Three Rivers businesses were offered a chance to be included in the production, albeit for a fee. Wright said the business features are included in a subtle manner that doesn’t interrupt the flow of the movie.Armstrong International was the first company to come aboard.“I need to make clear that this isn’t about the history of Three Rivers and it’s not a history about the businesses that are featured in the film,” Wright said. “It’s about Three Rivers, 2012-13 and it captures so many of the things that make Three Rivers a community loved by so many people.”A script was written and much of the movie offers a good share of humor, Wright said. The film is divided into a dozen, 12-minute segments encompassing all components of the city. In-depth angles include its government, schools, hospital, business community, media and other aspects. Some, he said, were easier to work with than others.Narration was done on a team basis by four people: David Miholer, Dennis Rumsey at WLKM, community personality Norm Stutesman and the late Bruce Snook, for whom the film will be dedicated.It also features eight original songs that include works written and arranged by Wright. Jeff Keefer, of Keefer Music, composed the theme song.Wright said the film will be available on DVD and Blu-ray for $30 if ordered before the premiere. It won’t be subject to rating — although it would be G-rated if it were — and it won’t be in the realm of Netflix or other movie-rental options.“It’s probably worth noting that tickets are advance-sales only. They won’t be sold at the theater,” he said. “I don’t know what the plan is as far as showing it beyond the premier weekend, but if it’s a sellout, then I’d like to think they would keep it in their rotation for a while.”Wright said the film is entertaining because it includes the images of people and places throughout Three Rivers, Fabius Township, the St. Joseph County Grange Fair and other local points of interest.As the filmmaker, Martin spent an inordinate amount of time in Three Rivers. Although he and his wife and four children live in Kalamazoo, the film-related work marked Martin’s first time ever to Three Rivers, Wright said.Wright, who has lived in the community for 70 years, said he especially enjoyed watching Martin grow to fall in love with the community.“He and his family all came to the (2012) Water Festival, Dan on his own also found himself in the middle of a lot of situations, like the potato bins, the middle of cornfields and other places he never imagined he’d be in for this project, and he absolutely loved it,” Wright said.Wright said he has devoted countless hours to the production, and has high praise for Meyer. In fact, Wright said he would not have gotten involved in the project if Meyer had not overseen it.“I have the utmost respect for Tom and anybody who knows him knows he doesn’t do things halfway,” Wright said. “He knew what it was going to take to do this and do it right, and I can say without any reservations that this will be a very impressive production that will make the community proud.”The Oct. 18 premieres are at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The Oct. 19 showing starts at 11 a.m.

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